MAP Advocate
AIDS Advocacy Update
Vol. 9 No. 1
January 10, 2003
In this issue:
Capitol Talk.....Budget and More [Posted
January 15, 2003]
HF29 introduced by Rep. Fran Bradley [R-Rochester] is one of the first bills introduced proposing a new tax. It proposes raising the tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack and includes an off-setting reduction in the provider tax that pays for Minnesota Care.
Bill sponsors say this does not constitute a new tax because its "revenue neutral." However, in the end the new tax will produce a net increase in revenue. It begs the question: Then exactly when is a new tax actually a new tax and when is it not a new tax? . . .
Cuts in the Governor's short-term budget reduction plan will result in service reductions. Two areas of interest to communities affected by HIV include cuts in substance use treatment subsidies and a big cut in funding for legal aid services. . .
You hear the administration argue that state spending is going up 14% while revenue is only going up 7% -- they say it proves we have a spending problem. What we are not told is the 14% includes new spending paid for with federal dollars while the 7% revenue figure only includes state revenue. It's like comparing apples with a fruit salad.
Gov. Pawlenty released his recommendations yesterday for dealing with the states $356 million budget shortfall for 2003. MDH needs to cut an additional $900 out of its budget -- beyond agency grant programs that were targeted by the Governor.
Senior staff at MDH was meeting today to identify how to deal with those cuts. It would seem unlikely that HIV contracts would be part of this mix, but that remains a possibility. It's important to keep in mind that what we have out there are the Gov's recommendations. A supplemental budget bill still has to go through the legislature. There's always a risk for some pot shots to be taken at HIV budgets there -- but we would rate that as a low risk.
In a related matter, last week the Administration announced a freeze on new contracts. New HIV prevention contracts were scheduled to take effect on January 1. Organizations that did not have their contracts fully executed by the time of the freeze face some uncertainties about what the process might be to get those contracts put into effect. [All of Map's MDH contracts were fully executed prior to the freeze.]
We will keep everyone posted as the budget process continues to move forward. Our Web site will have information as it becomes available.
The talk at the Capitol is that GAMC is going to be eliminated, significant reductions in MA benefits may be on tap, and income eligibility for Minnesota Care may be going up.
On the HIV prevention side, we may or may not see budget cuts, but we can be certain to hear quite a lot of debate about restrictions to promote abstinence until marriage and prohibit effective harm reduction or services targeting gay/bi men.
Stay tuned to future MAP Advocates for more updates.
The price of government has been dropping in Minnesota since 1999. Surprised to hear that? Yup, through the 90s, the cost of government as a percentage of Minnesotan's income was about 17.5%. Now it's around 15.5%. Not only has the tax burden been going down, but it's been shifted more and more from broad based, progressive state taxes to the local property taxes - the one's least responsive to a person's income and ability to pay.
Some say the reason the State has a budget crisis is that government spending has been going up. The reality is it hasn't. What we did was pull back state spending and cut taxes. Now we are told the only choice for Minnesotan's is to make deep, deep cuts. However, if things like HIV and STD prevention, health education for kids, and health care and social services for communities affected by HIV are important, we may need to ask if we should have more options.
Maybe, just maybe, the solution to the State's budget woes can be a balanced mix of spending adjustments and inching up the cost of government a bit back toward those pre-1999 levels. Care about HIV? Thought taxes had nothing to do with that? We all may need to think again - especially our Governor and State Legislators.
Congress couldn't agree on a budget before it adjourned for the elections last fall. Now it's up to the new Congress to approve budgets for 2003, the year that started October 1 if you're on the federal calendar. We still don't know how much money there will be in the Ryan White CARE Act pot or what's going to be available for HIV prevention, and chances are good with this new Congress making the decision, it will be less than we hoped.
There's still time to have an impact by being part of a national HIV advocates call-in day on January 15. Ask your Congressman and U.S. Senators to support a 2003 budget that increases funding for HIV prevention, global AIDS, and Ryan White CARE Act programs, including the AIDS Drug Assistance Program."
Call the Capitol switchboard toll-free at 1-800-648-3516 and ask to be
transferred to their offices. Don't know who your representative is? Call
1-888-868-3762 or visit:
http://www.vote-smart.org/index.phtml.
It used to be that social conservatives would just introduce bills at the State Capitol saying schools or public health agencies could not offer services - like HIV prevention - that "promoted homosexuality." Well, now the message is "abstinence-until-marriage." The only thing we should be teaching young people is to remain abstinent until they get married.
Never mind the fact there's no research to show this approach works and there are all sorts of research showing the effectiveness of a more comprehensive approach.
Plus, never mind that "until marriage" conveniently leaves out all those queer those folks who can't marry.
They're going to be talking this one up again this year in Saint Paul. Get ready to make some noise yourself. Hear what James Wagoner, executive director of the D.C.-based Advocates for Youth has to say to the abstinence-until-marriage crowd.
Join us for "Just Say 'No' and 'I Do,'" a MAP community forum on Monday, January 27 at Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis.
Registration starts at 6:30 and the forum starts at 7. This forum is being cosponsored by MAP, PrideAlive, Sex Ed for Life and Outfront.
Bob Tracy will continue to lead efforts at the State Capitol as MAP's chief lobbyist. Bob will get some help by Peg Larsen who will be working with MAP as a consulting lobbyist. Peg is a former Minnesota House Representative.
On the "home front," Laura Fredrick-Wang and Dave Lobejko will be doing the research, getting information together, and getting the word out to you -- our advocates, so you can have an impact on the legislative process.
The saying is that "all politics are local". We do our best work at the Capitol when lawmakers know that the folks back home care about HIV issues and they are hearing from them. Be our link to your lawmaker and others who care about HIV in your community.
We are looking for a Lead Link in each legislative district - that is 134 people who care about HIV, can get information to their friends and will make a phone call or send an email when needed to keep fighting HIV front and center of their legislator's agenda. It only takes a few minutes every so often to make a huge difference.
If you are interested in being a Lead Link, email Laura Fredrick-Wang at lwang@mnaidsproject.org.
Join us at the State Capitol on February 24 for AIDS Action Day. We have a lot of new lawmakers to this year who need to hear that the people they represent expect them to do their part in the legislature to prevent the spread of HIV and provide services to those affected.
This year's Action Day will start with a State of AIDS conference at 10 a.m. and legislative meetings between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Note: this date is a change from a previously announced date of February 10.
The MAP Advocate is going electronic. This will be the last edition of the MAP Advocate to be available in print and by mail. It'll be all web and e-mail from here on.
What do you need to do to make sure that you are getting the most up-to-date information about what is going on at the State Capitol? Make sure we have your email address.
Contact us one of three ways:
* Send us an e mail at community.affairs@mnaidsproject.org.
* Give us a call at 612-373-9162 or 800-243-7321.
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